Greek word · G1638

ἐλαιών

elaiōn

Olivet

Formed from ἐλαία ('olive tree') with the ending -ών, which means 'a place full of' something. So: 'olive grove, olive orchard'. Used as a name for the ridge east of Jerusalem: 'Olive-Grove', 'Olivet'.

Appears 11 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐλαιών, -ῶνος, ὁ

(ἐλαία), [in LXX for זַיִת ;]

olive-grove, olive-garden (so in FlJ and in π.; Deiss., BS, 209 ff.; MM, Exp., iii; M, Pr., 49, 69, 235): Luke 19:29 21:37 (WH, -ῶν; see their App., 158; Field, Notes, 73; El., § 10, 5; 33, 1; Thayer, see word), Acts 1:12 (where EL, ll with, proposes the conjectural emendation ἐλαιῶν for -ῶνος).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 1:12

Range of meaning

Formed from ἐλαία ('olive tree') with the ending -ών, which means 'a place full of' something. So: 'olive grove, olive orchard'. Used as a name for the ridge east of Jerusalem: 'Olive-Grove', 'Olivet'.

Against the English

BSB has 'Mount of Olives', the Hebrew-style phrase also found in the Gospels (τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν). KJV and WEB have 'the mount called Olivet', which keeps Luke's 'called' and the grove-name. YLT has 'the mount that is called of Olives'.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Hebrew Bible the place is 'the ascent of the olives' (2 Sam 15:30) and 'the Mount of Olives' (Zech 14:4). Josephus uses the Greek name 'Elaiōn' for the mountain (Ant. 7.202; 20.169). In Luke 19:29 and 21:37 the same name appears in a form whose accent editors dispute: it could be a name ('Olivet') or a plural ('of olives'). Here in Acts the genitive Ἐλαιῶνος can only come from Ἐλαιών, which shows Luke used it as a proper name. The Vulgate's mons Oliveti gave English 'Olivet'.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 3

  1. Matthew 21:1 ἐλαιῶν, of Olives,

    As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,

  2. Matthew 24:3 ἐλαιῶν of Olives

    While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

    Here: 'Of the olives': the Mount of Olives, named for its olive groves. A place loaded with end-time hope, since Zechariah 14:4 has the LORD's feet standing on it on the day of his coming.

  3. Matthew 26:30 ἐλαιῶν.¶ of Olives.

    And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

    Here: 'Of the olives.' The name describes the place: a hillside covered in olive groves, where oil was pressed. Gethsemane, where they are going, means 'oil press.'

Mark · 3

  1. Mark 11:1 ἐλαιῶν, of Olives,

    As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples

  2. Mark 13:3 ἐλαιῶν of Olives

    While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,

  3. Mark 14:26 ἐλαιῶν.¶ of Olives.

    And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Luke · 4

  1. Luke 19:29 Ἐλαιῶν Olivet

    As He approached Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent out two of His disciples,

  2. Luke 19:37 ἐλαιῶν of Olives

    And as He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God joyfully in a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:

    Here: Literally 'of the olive trees.' The hill was named for its olive groves, and the name carried a prophetic association with Zechariah 14:4, where the LORD's feet stand on the Mount of Olives on the day he comes.

  3. Luke 21:37 Ἐλαιῶν. Olivet.

    Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.

    Here: The name of the ridge, from its olive groves. It can be read as the name 'Olive-Grove' (Olivet) or as 'of Olives'. Either way the hearer pictures a hillside of olive trees.

  4. Luke 22:39 ἐλαιῶν. of Olives.

    Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him.

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 1:12 Ἐλαιῶνος, Olivet,

    Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

    Here: Literally 'Olive-Grove'. Here it is a proper name for the ridge, and the source of the Latin and English 'Olivet'. The name pictures a hillside covered in olive orchards.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.